Mission Details for Cologne (#31)

Briefing

Details

Number: 31
Date: 3/4/1944 12:00:00 AM
Commander: Lt. Col. A.C. Brooks
Crews Briefed: 35
Details: Target of Opportunity

Flying Control

Runway: 33
Engines: 0730 Thumbnail image for /Images/Takeoff/Plan33.jpg
Taxi: 0745
Take Off: 0800
E.T.R.:
Notes: Thirty three aircraft were airborne by 0918 but five aborted the mission. Gale warnings were received. Upon returning from the mission, one aircraft, Bonnie Donnie, could get only one wheel down and was ordered to jettison the ball turret and then make a belly landing on Runway 33. Lt. Don Currie made a beautiful belly landing; no one on board was injured.

Debriefing

Aircraft: 33
Lost Over Continent: 0
Lost Other: 0
Summary: The original target was Berlin, but a front extending up to 25,000 feet used up so much oxygen and fuel that the mission commander abandoned the briefed target and bombed Cologne by PFF (radar). Over 1,000,000 leaflets were also dropped over Cologne.

Mission Assignments

Squadron Participants